The KNVB wants to continue for longer with Erwin van de Looi as national coach of the Dutch Juniors. The two parties have been in talks for a while to extend the contract that expires after the European Championship, sources in Budapest, where the final tournament is currently being played, report.
The intention is to extend the contract of 49-year-old Van de Looi until the next European Championship, which will take place in Romania and Georgia in 2023. The news comes when the criticism of the coach is increasing due to the performance of the Dutch Juniors at the European Championship in Hungary.
The first two group matches against Young Romania and Young Germany ended in 1-1. Van de Looi is not only criticized for those results, but also because of his game system and choice of certain basic players.
Van de Looi was appointed national coach of the Dutch Juniors in May 2018. The former trainer of FC Groningen and Willem II, among others, replaced Art Langeler at the time – who continued as director of football development at the KNVB – and signed a contract until the end of 2020.
That commitment was automatically extended when Van de Looi managed to qualify for the European Championship with the Dutch Juniors. It was the first time since 2013 that Dutch talents under 21 years of age qualified for the European title fight.
The Dutch Juniors must win the last group match of Young Hungary on Tuesday to keep a chance of participating in the quarter-finals. If Young Romania and Young Germany draw 2-2 or more, the Dutch Juniors will be eliminated anyway. The deciding group matches start on Tuesday at 6 p.m. in Hungary.
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